“Thatisagoodterm。IfIamanadvocate，IknowmyEmployer’smind，I，whohavetakenHisfee，andamthereforeinhonourboundtoserveHimfaithfully。NowIwilltellyouHismindaboutyou。Itisthatunlessyouchangeyourwaysandrepent，soonyouwillgotohell。Yes，quitesoon，Ithink，foronesofatcannotbeverystrongintheheart。DowhatIbidyou，Madame，orI，theadvocateofGod，havingHisauthority，willcurseyouintheNameofGod，andintheancientformofwhichyoumayhaveheard。“
　　“Bah!wouldyoufrightenme，thegreatMadameRienneswhohavespiritsatmycommandandwho，asyouadmit，canlayonspellsandtakethemoff。AfleaforyouandyourGod!“
　　“Spiritsatyourcommand!Yes，someoftheminthere，Ithink，“andhepointedtotheblackbottleonthetable，“andotherstoo，perhaps；I
　　willnotdenyit。Well，letthemadvance，andwewillseewhoisonthetopofthemountain，I，theoldpaidadvocateofGod，oryouandyourspirits，Madame，“andhookingthehandleofthebigumbrellaoverhiswrist，hefoldedhisarmsandstaredatherthroughthebluespectacles。
　　MadameRiennesgibberedsomeinvocation，butnothinghappened。
　　“Iawaityourspirits。Theycannothavegonetobedsoearly，“
　　remarkedthePasteurlikeanewElijah。
　　Then，alsolikeElijah，touseavulgarism，he“sailedin“afterawaywhicheventheterrifiedGodfrey，whowascrouchingagainstoneofthepurplecurtains，felttobereallymagnificentwithsuchartisticsenseasremainedtohim。Inhismedi？valLatinwhich，spokenwithaforeignaccent，Godfrey，althoughagoodscholar，couldscarcelyfollowsaveforcertainholynames，hecursedMadameRiennesinsomearchaicbutmosteffectivefashion。Heconsigned，thismuchGodfreymadeout，hersoultohellandherbodytoanumberofthemostuncomfortableexperiences。Hetrailedherinthedustattherearofhistheologicalchariot；hedescendedfromthechariot，sotospeak，andjumpeduponherashehaddoneuponthebeetle；hetosseduphermangledremainsastheholybull，ApisoftheEgyptians，mighthavedonewiththoseofaGreekblasphemer。Then，likeatriumphantpugilist，metaphoricallyhestoodoverherandaskedherifshewantedanymore。
　　ForalittlewhileMadameRienneswascrushed，alsoveryevidentlyfrightened，forthosewhodealinthesupernaturalareafraidofthesupernatural。Indeed，noneofuswelcomethecurseevenofamalignantanddisappointedbeggar，orofthevenomousgipsyangeredbythisorthat，andmuchlessthatofarighteousmaninspiredbyjustandholyindignation。MadameRiennes，anexpertinthetrade，adealerinmaledictions，wasnotexemptfromthiscommonprejudice。Asshewouldhaveexpressedit，shefeltthathehadthePoweronhisside。
　　ButMadamewasnocommoncharlatan；shehadstrengthofasort，thoughwhereitcamefromwhocouldsay？Moreover，forallkindsofsecretreasonsofherown，shedesiredtokeepinhergripthisboyGodfrey，whohadshownhimselftobesowonderfulamediumorclairvoyant。Toherhemeantstrengthandfortune；alsoforhimshehadconceivedsomekindofunholylikingintherecessesofherdarksoul。Therefore，shewasnotpreparedtogivehimupwithoutastruggle。
　　PresentlyMadameseemedtocastofftheinfluenceswithwhichthePasteurhadoverwhelmedher。Whilehismaledictionswereinfullflowshesankinahuddledheapuponthecouch。Ofasuddensherevived；
　　shesprangup；notwithstandingherbulksheleaptintotheairlikeaballet-dancer。Shetorethegoldenmantillafromherhead，lettingdownafloodofravenhair，streakedwithgrey，andwaveditroundher。Shecalleduponthenamesofspiritsordemons，long，resoundingnameswithanEasternringaboutthem，tocometoheraid。Thensheprancedintothecentreoftheroom，crying：
　　“Dogofaclergyman，Idefyyouandwillovercomeyou。Thatboy’ssoulismine，notyours。Iamthegreatestmesmeristintheworldandheisinmynet。Iwillshowyou!“
　　Sheturnedtowardstheshrivelled，almostnakedmummyinthecase，andaddressedit：
　　“ONofri，“shesaid，“PriestessofSet，greatseeressandmagicianoftheoldworldinwhomoncemyspiritdwelt，sendforthyourKa，youreverlastingEmanation，tohelpme。Crushthisblackhound。Comeforth，comeforth!“
　　AsshespokethefearfulGodfreyinhiscornersawthedooroftheglasscaseflyopen，alsoashethought，probablyerroneously，thathesawthemummymove，liftingitsstifflegsandchampingitsironjawssothattheyellow，ancientteethcaughtthelightastheymoved。Thenheheardandsawsomethingelse。SuddenlythePasteurintonesthatranglikeatrumpet，criedout：
　　“Sheseemstohesitate，thismummyofyours，Madame。Letmebepoliteandhelpher。“
　　Withasingleboundhewasinfrontofthecase。Withthehookofhisbigumbrellahecaughttheshrivelledthingroundtheneck；withhislongthinarmhegrippeditaboutthemiddle，justlikesomebodyleadingaladytothedance，thoughtGodfrey。Thenhebenthimselfandpulled。Outflewtheage-witheredcorpse。Theheadcameoff，thebodybrokeabovethehipsandfelluponthefloor，leavingthelegsstandinginthecase，aghastlyspectacle。OntothisseveredtrunkthePasteurleapt，againashehaddoneupontheblackbeetle。Itcrunchedandcrumbled，fillingtheairwithapungent，resinousdust。
　　Thenhestoodamidstthedébris，andplacinghisrightfootuponwhathadbeenthemummy’snose，saidmildly：
　　“Now，Madame，whatnext？Thisladyisfinished？“
　　MadameRiennesutteredastifledscream，moreshecouldnotdoforragechokedher。Herbigeyesrolled，sheclenchedandunclenchedherhands，andbentforwardasthoughshewereabouttoflyatthePasteurlikeawildcat。Stillpoiseduponthefragmentsofthemummyheliftedthepointoftheumbrellatoreceivethechargeasitcame，andtakingadvantageofMadame’stemporaryparalysisofspeech，wenton：
　　“Hearken!daughterofBeelzebub。Youhavethecurseanditshallworkuponyoursoul，but，yes，itshallworkwell。Stillyourbodyremains，andofthattooIwouldsaysomething。KnowthatIhaveheardmuchofyou——oh!thequietoldPasteurhearsmanythings，especiallyifhehasmembersofthesecretpoliceamonghisflock。Ithinkthatyonderinanofficethereisa/dossier/，yes，anofficialrecordconcerningyouandyourdoingsbothinthiscountryandinotherlands。Ithasbeenallowedtosleep，butitcanwakeagain；ifitwakes——well，thereisthepenitentiaryforsuchasyou。“
　　Madamegaspedandturnedgreen。IfMonsieurhaddrawnabowataventure，evidentlythatchancearrowhadfoundthebull’s-eye，fornowshetrulywasfrightened。
　　“Whatwouldyouhavemedo？“sheaskedinachokingvoice。
　　“Freethisyouthfromyourinfluence，asyoucanifyouwill。“
　　“Myinfluence!IfIhadanywithhimwouldnotthatbaldskullofyoursbynowhavebeenshatteredlikeanegg，seeingthatheisstrongandholdsastick？“
　　“Ihavenotimetowaste，Madame。ThePoliceOfficeclosesearlyonSundays。“
　　Thenshegavein。
　　“Comehere，“shesaidsullenlytoGodfrey，stillspeakinginFrench。
　　Hecameandstoodbeforehersneezing，forthepungentdustofthesmashedmummy，whichthePasteurstillgroundbeneathhislargeboots，hadfloateduphisnose。
　　“Ceasethatnoise，littlefool，andlookatme。“
　　Godfreyobeyed，butdidnotstopsneezing，becausethemixtureofspicesandorganicmatterwouldnotallowhimtodoso。Shestaredathimveryevilly，mutteredsomemorewords，andmademysticupwardpasseswithherhands。
　　“Therenow，“shesaid，“youarefree，sofarasIamconcerned。ButI
　　donotthinkthatyouaredonewithspirits，sincetheyareguestswhichonceentertainedtobreakfast，stoptoluncheonandtodinner；
　　yes，andpassthenightwhentheyaremerriest。Ithinkyouwillseemanyspiritsbeforeyoudie，andafterwards——ah!whoknows，littlepig？Putyourstringabouthislegandtakeyourlittlepighome，Pasteur。Hewillnotbedrawntocomehereagain。“
　　“Good，Madame，forremember，ifhedoesIshallbedrawntocallatthePoliceOffice。IfMadamewilltakemyadviceshewilltrychangeofair。Lucerneiscoldinthewinter，especiallyforthosewhoseheartsarenottoostrong。Isitfinished？“
　　“Quite，formypart，butforyou，interferinghumbug，Idonotknow。
　　Getoutofmyroom，bothofyou。“
　　ThePasteurbowedwithanold-fashionedpoliteness，andherdingGodfreyinfrontofhim，turnedtogo。Ashepassedthroughthedoorsomethinghardhithimviolentlyintheback，sothathenearlyfell。
　　Itwastheheadofthemummy，whichMadamehadhurledathim。Itfelltothefloor，andstrikingagainstachairleg，recoiledthroughthedoorway。Godfreysawit，andanimpulseseizedhim。Liftingthathead，heturned。Madamewasstandinginthemiddleoftheroomwithherbacktothedealtable，utteringshortlittlehowlsoffury。
　　Godfreyadvancedverypolitelyandsaying，“Ibelievethisisyourproperty，Madame，“placedthebatteredremnantofhumanityuponthetablebesidetheblackbottle。Ashedidso，heglancedatthemesmerist，thenturnedandfled，forherfacewasliketothatofadevil。
　　“MonsieurBoiset，“hesaid，whentheyreachedthestreet，“somethinghashappenedtome。Iamquitechanged。NotforalltheworldwouldI
　　gonearMadameRiennesagain。Indeed，nowIfeelasthoughIwishedtorunawayfromher。“
　　“Thatisgood!“saidthePasteur。“Oh!Ithoughtitwouldbeso，forI
　　knowhowtodealwithsuchwitches。Butnottoofast，nottoofast，myGodfrey。IwonderwhattheoldEgyptiansputintotheheadsoftheirmummiestomakethemsoheavy。“
　　“Bitumen，“answeredGodfrey，andproceededinacheerfulvoicetogiveanaccountoftheEgyptianprocessofmummificationtohistutor，whichIsobelandhehadacquiredinthecourseoftheirmiscellaneousreadingatMonk’sAcre。Indeed，ashehadsaid，whateverthereason，hewaschangedandpreparedtotalkcheerfullyaboutanything。Agreatburdenwasliftedfromhissoul。
　　FromthatdayforwardGodfreybecamewhatayouthofhisyearsandraceshouldbe，ahigh-spirited，athletic，andactiveyoungman。